Slowly, with the great freedom of expression and availability of impartial views due to the internet, Tamil nationalists are exorcising their difficult ghosts:
execrpt from 'Hinduism and Tamil Nationalism' by Thanjai Nalankili:
There is a false impression among some Tamil people that Tamil nationalism is opposed to Hinduism. This is far from the truth. Hinduism and Tamil nationalism are not opposing or contradictory philosophies. A Tamil nationalist can be a pious Hindu (or a Muslim or a Christian or a Buddhist or an atheist or of whatever religious belief).
The false impression that Hinduism and Tamil nationalism are opposed to each other is prevalent only in Tamil Nadu; it is never felt in Tamil Eelam. There is a historic reason for it. In the 1940s and 1950s, it was the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) that were at the forefront of Tamil nationalism. These two parties, especially the Dravidar Kazhagam and its leader Periyar E. V. Ramaswamy (EVR), were opposed to Hinduism. They often preached anti-Hinduism and Tamil nationalism in the same speech. So people came to think of anti-Hinduism and Tamil nationalism as two sides of the same philosophy. That is far from the truth. Although Dravidar Kazagam propagated the two distinct and different ideas of anti-Hinduism and Tamil nationalism from the same platform, they need not have to go hand in hand. A good Hindu can be a good Tamil nationalist (so can a Muslim or one of any religious belief or disbelief)
what a change time makes!!
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